A Very Merry Christmas
by Dani-Ellie03
Summary: The only thing that can change Dana's feelings about the holiday season is a present from Casey.


Dana Whitaker sighed heavily, sipping her glass of merlot. Christmas was one of her least favorite times of the year, and even standing in the middle of the newsroom decorated with almost professional detail did nothing to help her feel anything but aggravation. She had been hoping the merlot would relax her, even just a little bit, but so far, all it had done was make her even more on edge than she already was.

"Turn the radio up!" Natalie Hurley hollered, whizzing past Dana as she continued setting trays of food out on the desks.

Dana groaned as someone complied with Natalie's request and "Sleigh Ride" came blaring through the sound system. The company Christmas party was something Dana used to look forward to for months. Opening presents and having drinks with her friends and coworkers after the show on Christmas Eve while watching Christmas morning dawn on New York City was something that she used to love. But ever since her brother's drug scandal broke two Christmases before, the holiday had been nothing but a reminder of stress and disappointment to her.

With another sigh, she sat down at Natalie's desk, staring up at the lights and garland hung around the newsroom. Natalie really outdid herself this year, she thought as she reached over and snatched a sugar cookie from the tray in front of her. The decorations were gorgeous yet understated, sparkly without being flashy, and they had a handmade look without being cheesy. A couple of years ago, Dana would have been taking picture after picture of just the decorations. Now, all she wanted to do was get the party over with.

"Hey, Dana!" Natalie called breathlessly, waving to her from across the room.

"Hi," Dana replied, smiling. Natalie hurried over to her and took a seat on the desk. "This is amazing, Natalie."

"Thanks," Natalie said. She followed Dana's gaze to the lights. "I wish you had helped me with them. We used to have so much fun decorating this place together. Remember?"

"Natalie, please don't start. Christmas just . . . isn't what it used to be anymore."

"Yes, it is."

"No, Natalie, it's not. I think you're forgetting why Christmas is so stressful for me."

"I know why Christmas is so stressful for you," Natalie replied. "But Christmas could be what it used to be if you'd let it."

"That makes no sense."

"Sure it does," Natalie shrugged. "You can get the Christmas spirit back, Dana. You just have to let it in."

Dana just nodded. She wasn't in the mood to argue with Natalie. "Fine."

Natalie gave Dana a comforting smile, then she reached over and pulled one of her side drawers open. She fished out a small wrapped package and handed it to Dana. "It's not much. Just something to say thanks for being both the best boss and the best friend a girl could ask for."

Dana smiled, touched. "Thank you very much. Wait here for a second. My presents are in my office."

She stood up and set her glass of wine on the edge of Natalie's desk. After smoothing her skirt, she hurried out of the newsroom and down to her office. It was a moment before she realized that she was a little less aggravated than she had been. _Good_, she thought, _that means the wine is working_.

-----

Casey McCall watched as Dana hurried from the newsroom. "Where's she going?" he wondered aloud.

"She'll be back," Dan Rydell assured him. "So what did you get me for Christmas?"

"Well, Dan, since you're Jewish, I guess nothing," Casey replied distractedly.

"Don't you think I was planning on getting you something for Hanukkah?"

"If you're getting me something for Hanukkah, wouldn't you have to get me eight somethings?"

Dan thought a second, then nodded. "Yes, I suppose I would."

"And you know that if I got you something for Christmas, I only have to get you one something?"

After a moment of hesitation, Dan nodded again. "Yes, that's true."

"You're okay with that?"

"Perhaps not."

"And not only that, but Hanukkah was like, two weeks ago?"

"Yes."

"And I don't even have one gift from you, never mind eight?"

"Right."

"Then shut up."

Dan smirked and let the conversation drop for a moment, just long enough to grab a cupcake and a glass of eggnog. "When are you giving it to her?"

Casey sighed. "Soon." He was beginning to regret telling Dan what he had gotten Dana for Christmas. Starting exactly one minute after the show had wrapped for the night, Dan had been asking Casey the same question every five minutes. After almost half an hour, Casey was more than ready for Dan to shut up about it. But the longer it took Casey to find the right moment to go over and give Dana the present, the more annoyed Dan was getting.

"You know, the way she's guzzling that wine, she's going to be dancing on the tables before you even get ready to say hi, never mind give her the present."

"Well, as long as Chris and Will don't start pumping 'Boogie Shoes' in through the sound system, we're okay." He met Natalie's eyes across the room, who just gave him a shrug and a knowing smile. "Hey, does Natalie know?" he asked Dan suddenly.

"No," Dan answered. "Why would Natalie know?"

"Because I know you and Natalie have the information pact and we've done one too many shows without our pants because of it. Does she know?"

"I didn't tell her," Dan assured him. "If she knows, it's because she figured it out."

"You think she figured it out?" Casey asked, panicked.

"No," Dan said, chuckling.

"Then why did you--"

"Relax, would you?"

"Yeah, all right." Casey took a deep breath in and held it a moment, trying to relax. _No big deal_, he told himself. _It's just giving Dana a present. That's all._

_-----_

Jeremy Goodwin gazed around the newsroom for Natalie. She had been so busy setting things up for the party that they had barely said hello to each other since the show had wrapped for the night. Finally spotting her, he grabbed Natalie's arm as she hurried her way past him. "Whoa, slow down."

"I want to make sure everyone's all set," Natalie said distractedly, pulling out of his grip.

"Everyone's fine," he said comfortingly. "You sure know how to put together a party, Natalie."

"I do it every year."

"I know."

"I'm saying I _should_ know how to put a party together because I do it every year."

"I know that, too. And you know what else?"

"What?"

Jeremy looked up and grinned. "We're standing under mistletoe."

Natalie giggled and stood up on her tiptoes, leaning in for a kiss. When they finally pulled away from each other, Natalie gave him a grin. "We need to stand under mistletoe more often."

"Yes, we do." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she nestled closer to him. "So, who got what for whom this year?"

"Well, you know what I got everyone," she answered with a wink. "I actually don't know much this year; I'm slacking in the gossip department. Casey and Dan got each other the pleasure of each other's company, Dana gave me a bunch of scented candles, and Casey got Dana something really good."

"Do you know what he got her?"

"Not directly, no."

Jeremy looked down at her, confused. "Come again?"

"Well, he's keeping it such a secret that I think I can guess."

"But it's good?"

"Oh yes. Very, very good."

Jeremy, still confused, looked into Natalie's eyes. Almost immediately, he understood. "Well, let's hope you're right."

"Let's hope is right."

-----

Dana leaned back against the wall, satisfied. She had played Santa for the evening, giving presents to Natalie, Jeremy, Dan, Isaac, Chris, Will, Dave, Kim, and Elliott. The only present she still had left to hand out was Casey's. He had been inordinately hard to get a hold of all night. Every time she had spotted him, he either had moved before she could get to him or someone had stopped her to talk to her.

Now that the presents were handed out, Dana had nothing left to do except try to mingle. The music was beginning to give her a headache, however, and she wasn't in the mood to try to be overly cheerful. After refilling her glass of wine, she sat down in one of the chairs and sighed, gazing around the room.

Natalie and Jeremy were snuggling under some mistletoe, and Dan was trying once again to hit on Kim, much to Elliott and Dave's amusement. Kim was flirting back, though, so Dana supposed Dan was doing all right. Chris, Will, and Isaac were engaged in some sort of card game, though Dana couldn't tell just what it was. Casey was nowhere to be found.

"Hey, Dana?" asked a nervous voice from behind her.

She gasped and whirled around in the chair, and after seeing Casey, put her hand over her heart. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly. "I-I just . . . can we go to your office for a minute?"

Dana gave him a perplexed look but stood anyway. "Sure." She led the way to her office, ushered him inside, and closed the door. "I have a present for you."

"I have one for you, too," Casey replied. He stuck a shaking hand inside his pocket, then quickly pulled it out. "I-I wanted to do . . . to give you this in private--"

"Casey, what's the matter?" Dana asked. His obvious anxiety was making her nervous.

"Just listen." He set his hands on her shoulders and smiled nervously. "I'm not denying that our relationship has been rocky. Rocky's even a bit of an understatement. We . . . we've both said things and done things that hurt each other, we've both had our share of disappointments where the other is concerned. And I know that you were scared and that I was scared and we both wanted this to work so much that we were afraid to honestly try. When you asked me six months ago if I'd consider trying to go out with you again . . . I wanted to tell you right then that I've been in love with you since the day I met you, Dana. Since that first English class freshman year of college."

Dana felt tears beginning to form behind her eyes and she had to swallow the lump in her throat before she could speak. "I've always loved you, too, Casey."

Casey smiled at her and stuck his hand into his pocket again. This time, when he pulled his hand out, it was closed around a small black velvet box. "I wanted to do this in private . . ." He extended his arm and opened his hand.

Dana took the box off of his outstretched palm with shaking hands. As soon as she opened it, any Scrooge-like emotions she had been feeling about the holiday season melted away. She barely heard Casey ask the question; she couldn't see much of anything through the tears in her eyes. All she could see was the gleaming diamond and all she could hear was one word resounding in her head. And when it was spoken aloud, she scarcely recognized the voice as her own: "Yes. Yes, Casey, I will marry you."


End file.
